THEME : BACK TO YOUR VOMIT?
Memorise:
And Jesus said unto him, No man,
having put his hand to the plough,
and looking back, is fit for the
kingdom of God. Luke 9:62
Read: 2nd Peter 2:20-22,
20 For if after they have escaped the
pollutions of the world through the
knowledge of the Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled therein, and overcome,
the latter end is worse with them
than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them
not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after they have
known it, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them
according to the true proverb, The
dog is turned to his own vomit
again; and the sow that was washed
to her wallowing in the mire.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Joshua 23-24
and Matthew 23:29-24:14
Message
Often, we find someone who starts
off very well in the Christian race
and then cools off later. Sometimes,
some people who used to be very
hot for the Lord may even leave the
Lord completely. When such things
happen, thoughtful minds wonder,
“Who will be the next to leave the
Lord?” invariably, the answer is “Not
me!” We are all kept standing by the
grace and strength of the Lord.
Another word for going back to your
vomit is backsliding. It means to
turn away from the Lord (1st Kings
11:9). It also means to grow cold
and leave your first love (Revelations
2:4). When a person returns to his
vomit, there will be a loss of joy,
happiness, peace of mind and
power. Darkness and murmuring will
replace light and songs of praise.
That will not be your portion in
Jesus’ Name. When I was meditating
on Elisha’s decisions to kill off his
oxen, I realised that he did this to
demonstrate the burning of the
bridge that could lead him back to
his vomit (1st Kings 19:21). The one
who is going to become great must
make up his or her mind never to
look back. Whatever will not let you
follow Jesus through and through
will be destroyed in Jesus’ Name. I
am never sympathetic to anything
that could stop me from becoming
what God wants me to become.
Whatever will not let you ascend to
the greatness that God has for you
must give way. Any friendship with
the world or association with anyone
that will impede your progress to
the place of greatness must be
removed.
The past is gone, and the present
must be faced with proper zeal and
commitment. Anyone driving a car
cannot afford to concentrate on the
rear mirror if they want to avoid
catastrophe and disaster. This is why
Paul said that he forgets those
things that are behind (Philippians
3:13). There are many reasons why
some people go back to their vomit.
The major reasons why Lot went back
to his vomit was because he lusted
after something that was not God’s
will for him. The love of money has
made many people sell their future.
This was the case with Judas Iscariot
(John 12:4-6). You cannot serve God
and please the world at the same
time. When you find someone who
has always been fervent in the
things of God now giving excuses for
being absent from church
programmes, it is only a matter of
time; the person will soon return to
his or her vomit. If you find yourself
in such a situation, God is saying to
you like the prodigal son, return and
be forgiven. God does not want any
sinner to die in his sins; neither
does He want His children to be at
the mercy of the devil. It doesn’t
matter how far down you have gone;
He is ready to make you a better
child of His.
Action Point :
Examine yourself; if you have
backslidden in any way, repent and
return to your first works.
AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE.
AMEN
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